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Throughout her life, Cecilia Poetry has listened to her father rave about his home country, Indonesia. After his death, Cecilia decides to move to Jakarta and explore the beautiful life that her father had envisioned for her.
When Cecilia moves in with her wealthy grandparents, she learns of their distaste for her American lifestyle and a grudge against her beloved parents. Entangled in frustrating family dynamics, Cecilia escapes to her rich, beautiful, and successful new friends.
The more Cecilia immerses herself in this new world, the more infatuated she becomes by Jakarta’s glamour. As her friends’ lives unfold to reveal tragic pasts and toxic secrets hidden behind plastic smiles, Cecilia finally begins to feel a real connection to her father’s hometown. But as reality starts to catch up with Cecilia, it becomes clear that nothing in Jakarta is as it seems.
She Smells of Turmeric is an intimate tale of estrangement and reconciliation and speaks to anyone who has felt alone in their community.
2024 Next Generation Indie Book Award Finalist
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Month-long No.1 Amazon New Release in 6 Categories
No.1 Amazon Bestseller in 3 Categories
Top 10 Amazon Bestseller in 6 Categories
Praise for She Smells of Turmeric
“Sondakh delivers a lively, propulsive recreation of the world of Southeast Asia's super-rich with snappy dialogue, and the real conflicts that vast treasure and privilege both invite and offer no relief from. Like Cecilia, this novel has heart and reminds us that warmth counts over wealth, at least most of the time."
— Ted C. Fishman, Best-Selling Author of China, Inc.
“She Smells of Turmeric invites you to live a life that in many ways you have already lived, within a culture you might never have heard of, so intricate and texturally distinctive that every word reads like nectar from Indonesian mountaintops. Fall into the magic of a story that finally has a chance to be told; have faith that it is, indeed, told right.”
— Zuni Chopra, Author of The House That Spoke
“She Smells of Turmeric is a warm, captivating exploration of Indonesian American culture and heritage that represents a much-needed narrative for all marginalized individuals who struggle to define ‘home.’ For those who desire a reckoning with one's own complex identity, this tale is a powerful tool towards a path of healing and reconciliation.”
— Giboom Park, Author of Not Your Yellow Fantasy
“She Smells of Turmeric is an evocative and delightful exploration of heritage, family, and finding one’s place in the world. Sondakh vividly portrays Jakarta and the struggles of fitting in. Cecilia is a character you’ll be rooting for!”
— Elizabeth Kelly, Book Vlogger
"Natasha Sondakh invites you on a heartwarming journey filled with food, love, and loss. Through the filtered eyes of Cecilia Poetry, we explore her father’s homeland and learn that home knows no bounds."
— Lilian Li, Author of House of Koi
“Natasha Sondakh brings to the light something we have all experienced but may have been too scared to admit. [Cecilia’s] warmth allows those who have felt like they do not belong to finally let the shields down and unapologetically let go. Healing is the true goal, not perfection.”
— Nicole McKenzie, Author of #RelationshipStatus